digest

August 2026 Digest

Curated resources for lesbian gamers.

Screenshot from Deltarune. A character, mocking the player after attempting a speedrunning trick, says "How bout you go home and try doing a 100% run of your shower"

Welcome to the monthly newsletter! As a reminder, there are now two membership tiers: Ally ($2/mo or $20/yr) and Accomplice ($5/mo or $50/yr). Hosting ain't cheap, so consider supporting! You can also make a one-time donation.

This is a free post for all subscribers. Don't forget to check out my explainer post on why I switched to Ghost.

Hello loyal readers,

By the time you read this, I'll be recovering from a gum graft surgery. Somewhere between using cheap bamboo toothbrushes and various mental neuroses leading me to brush for way longer than I needed to, I've worn down my gumline over the years to the point where I now have to get material from the roof of my mouth painfully grafted over my canines. I've since switched to an electric toothbrush which not only always operates at the same intensity but times my cleanings so I don't abuse my gums. So much for trying to live sustainably. Don't forget to floss either, kids!

While I lay in bed hopped up on meds, enjoy this ~1,000 or so words on media I enjoyed in July. Maybe you'll find your next great read/listen/play!

Action Items

Massachusetts: We should all be against invasive ID checks, especially online where your data is prone to leaking into the wrong hands. Check out this page to ask your reps to stop MA House Bill 5366. The same site has resources for other states.
PlayStation 5 Owners: Stop updating your PS5 today! Watch this video for more info on how to fight back against Sony killing physical media. I'm also going back and updating my previous essay on the subject to include this action item.

Books!

This month, I read The Lesbian Bar Chronicles by Rachel Karp, co-creator of the Cruising podcast. This brand new book covers the long history of lesbian bars and is a deeply enlightening read. I'm touched by the stories of queer resilience against everything from police violence and government fuckery to drug abuse and cancer. It also debunks the TERF-y opinion that lesbian bars are endangered due to trans people, somehow; transmasculine people have always been a part of lesbian (bar) history, lesbian spaces have always been inclusive to people of all backgrounds (most notably cis straight female sports fans and sex workers), and the closure of lesbian bars typically has a lot more to do with the usual challenges of running a bar or restaurant (increasing rents, etc.). Anyway, if you need a reminder that queer people have always been here and always will be, pick this up from your local lesbian bookstore or local library. Histories like this make me proud to be a lesbian!

Science

A comprehensive resource on the environmental impacts of AI.
Preprint: AI suppresses people's willingness to say "I don't know". This is meaningful, since AI itself is incapable of saying "I don't know".
Preprint: Reviewing 14 meta-analyses that claim AI is good for education (spoiler: they are all bad).
Yet another paper on how AI sycophancy lowers your social skills.
A new publication from a UMass librarian colleague on AI skepticism.
The Library Freedom Project's AI resources.

News

ChatGPT misdiagnosed a pastor's illness.
Contrary to the STEM party line that "students need to know how to use AI for when they get into the workplace", many companies are actively refusing to hire AI power-users, stating that “AI natives” are turning out to have alarmingly shallow ideas.

Opinions

Julia Serano's excellent new work on the transgender "social contagion" claim.
The Jewish case for AI work exemptions.

Watch History

Final Girl Digital's history of women in computing.
Rebecca Watson's summary of new research on how people who join organizations like ICE are losers, in the scientific sense.
Kat Blaque's demonstration that "voice memo guy", TikTok's topic du jour, is following a script that he likely got from an online pickup artist group. Knowing what I know about such men, I fully buy that this is a pre-written script.
Christophe's look into David's Bridal and how difficult it can be to remove your data from the internet.
Elliot Issac's fascinating look into the graphic design of the Pokémon franchise.
Eric Andre randomly made a documentary about rum that's both humorous and informative?!

Gamer Girl Corner

Denshattack! is a brand new game that's like Tony Hawk's Pro-Skater, 3D Sonic games, and Jet Set Radio combined. You play as a train that can do skateboard-like tricks and kick-flip your way across a post-climate catastrophe Japan, battling mechs and Kaiju while befriending a colorful cast of characters. The soundtrack is incredible and there's even a mechanic where you make zines (!!!) by finding camera reels throughout each level. Truly a game after my own heart. 10/10 get this one NOW.
Deltarune continues to impress with its latest entry, Chapter 5, improving the game in nearly every aspect. Impressive music, new platforming mechanics, and an enriching story that builds upon the colored hearts from Undertale. If you haven't started Deltatune yet, now's a great time to get into the fandom, with the first two chapters available for free as a demo and Chapter 6 set to launch in 2027.

Bops, Vibes, & Jams

Madonna's new dance project, CONFESSIONS II, is incredible front to back. 10/10 no notes. Favorite tracks: "Bring Your Love feat. Sabrina Carpenter", "Good For The Soul".
Steve Lacy's Oh yeah? has been playing on repeat for me as well. Favorite tracks: "the feeling", "is it cool? feat. SZA".
Kelela, one of the best living artists, has blessed us with a new project in 𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚊𝚟𝚊𝚝𝚊𝚛. Favorite tracks: "linknb", "point blank".
The song of the summer: "Brunette" by Mimi Zima.